In Love With Mr. Billionaire

CHAPTER 36- DEAL?

I took a deep breath as I stood outside my father's house, bracing myself for the meetup. A part of my brain screamed at me, to turn around on my heels and run for my life—I did not have to do it. The other part that had craved a reason to explain his intense dislike towards me, all my life, wanted to have a confrontation—a closure.

After the brief discussion with Aaron that had ended with silence on both ends, I had spent the whole of yesterday wondering if I was doing it right. I knew I wanted to meet him and get my answers. Though he made it clear that he wanted to make amends, I did not want his apology. But I did want a reason. A made up, fake one would do too. There was no need for a justification, but an explanation for why, when he could have given me a normal life by simple ignorance, did he decide to make it a living hell by hating me.

Jane, the housekeeper, opened the door with a smile on her face. She greeted me like an old friend, guiding me inside the house. Not more than five steps inside, I saw my father coming towards me with a huge smile on his face. His eyes were shiny and bright, his stance was upright, there was not a hint of tiredness or dullness on his features.

Wasn't he so sick that his mind was full of regrets? Was he not ailing of old age?

The smile that had formed on meeting Jane after so long, vanished the moment he pulled me in a hug. He actually pulled me in a hug!

"You have no idea how much I missed you, Caro," he said, pulling back to smile at me brightly.

I stared back at him, unable to reciprocate the affection. I was hardly able to say anything. He was smiling at me. He just told me he missed me. He had just hugged me. This was what I had wanted from him all my life, nothing more. And yet, all I did was stare back at him. The bruises, both external and internal, from my past refused to accept the present.

"Welcome back, home. Come on," he said as he started to wall inside.

"This is not my home," I stated. He stopped in his tracks and turned back. There was not a hint of anger and I repeated my words. "This was never my home."

That was when I saw Lahaina glaring at me from across the foyer. "Just get in and let's get this over with," she rolled her eyes as soon as our eyes met.

I frowned. Get what over with?

"Don't mind her. She is only worried about me," my father said as he ushered me into the living room.

Lahaina walked ahead of us while he had decided to walk with me, creating small talk as we settled inside the living room. This was the first time that I was the recipient of his good behavior and full attention. All this was supposed to be pleasant, causing joy, and yet I could not wait to end this conversation and leave them all behind in the past.

"How have you been, Caro? I heard Aaron and you shifted to a new house," he asked. His voice lacked the malice I was so accustomed to.

"We did."

"And I hope he is treating you well?"

It was a simple question, a father inquiring his daughter about her new life and husband. Though in this situation, it felt unworldly. Ironic.

What was I supposed to tell him? That he treated me better than my own father ever could? That I was always treated as an equal when I was with him, and that it was a foreign feeling until he came into my life? That he encourages me to have my own opinions, make my own choices? And that even after the argument the previous day, I could still say with confidence that he would never think of hurting me in any way?

"He is," I simply answered, knowing better than to waste those words on him.

"You said you were sick," I commented before he could suggest another question to try and demean Aaron and my relationship with him.